Enhancing Community Nutrition Literacy through Education on the Effectiveness of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) Program in Bogor Regency

Abstract

Nutrition literacy is an important component in supporting community understanding of healthy dietary practices and the implementation of nutrition-related public programs. The Free Nutritious Meals (Makan Bergizi Gratis/MBG) Program represents a strategic national initiative aimed at supporting nutritional fulfillment and human resource development in Indonesia. However, the effectiveness of such a program depends not only on the provision of nutritious meals but also on community understanding, food quality, dietary diversity, food safety, and active stakeholder participation. This community service activity aimed to strengthen community nutrition literacy through educational outreach and mentoring concerning the MBG Program in Bogor Regency. The activity employed a participatory approach involving 68 community participants. The intervention consisted of nutrition education, interactive discussions, question-and-answer sessions, practical examples, and mentoring related to balanced nutrition, dietary diversity, food safety, MBG objectives, program implementation, and indicators of program effectiveness. Participants' knowledge was evaluated using pre-test and post-test assessments. The results demonstrated an increase in the mean knowledge score from 65.4 before the intervention to 88.2 after the intervention, representing an increase of 22.8 points or 34.86%. The findings indicate that the educational intervention contributed positively to participants' understanding of nutrition literacy and the MBG Program. The activity also strengthened participants' awareness of the importance of community participation in supporting healthy dietary practices and monitoring program implementation. Nevertheless, the improvement primarily reflects changes in knowledge and does not directly demonstrate long-term behavioral or nutritional outcomes. Continued education, mentoring, and follow-up evaluation are therefore recommended to sustain nutrition literacy and strengthen community participation in supporting the effective and accountable implementation of the MBG Program.